by Jenni Horn

Officers at Medway Police station have been caught short after being banned from replacing a roll of toilet paper.

Staff at Gillingham's 'super nick' must call a contractor out to replace loo rolls and light bulbs rather than doing it themselves.

Police are being bound up in red tape because the station in Purser Way, along with the new station in north Kent, was paid for by a private finance initiative (PFI).

Ian Pointon, chairman of the Kent Police Federation, said: "Because of the way they have been funded you have to go through the contractor to get anything done.

"In the old days if a light bulb broke, you could just go the cupboard to get a new one and change it - but now you have to phone or email the contractor and they have to send someone to do it.

"If you run out of toilet roll, you can't just go and get another one, or if you want to put a white board up you have to go through the contractor to decide where it is going to go. Police officers find it very frustrating."

Assistant Chief Constable Gary Beautridge said: "By using a contractor to undertake the routine service work we free up staff to concentrate on the matters that concern the public - continuing to reduce the level of crime across the county."

Full story in Monday’s Medway Messenger newspaper.